WINTER

 

Standing in the hushed silence

Breath pluming in the frost filled air

Beneath the deep velvet blue of the night sky

Broken only by the myriad of glistening stars

My futile thoughts are lost in its enormity

I’m suddenly startled by my own insignificance

I feel alone, hopeless, and helpless 

A bitter chill touches my bones

I walk on over the linen shrouded land

Footsteps treading crisply in the white

My breath still plumes though less so

The velvet curtain of night has gone

Hidden behind grey, brown clouds

Then the cold frosty night was no more

As the wind freshens against my cheek

And in that instant fresh snow falls

Seemingly silencing my footfalls  

Large soft flakes drifting haphazardly

Like confetti on a wedding day

Or cherry blossom in springtime

It fell faster, then faster still

Quickly obscuring my footprints

And blinding my view, disorienting

A bitter chill again touched my bones

The wind now stung my face with snow

As the blizzard of bridle white blew

I bent into the northerly gale

Head down eyes narrowed almost closed

I stopped briefly to catch my breath

Insignificance washed over me again

I knew I must go north into the mouth of it

The silent hush was no more as the blizzard blew

My feet no longer crunched on frost and ice

The deepening snow slowing my progress

Each step I must drag my feet from the snows grip

With each step I grow wearier

Feeling hopeless and helpless

Alone, insignificant, and small,

Smaller than a single snowflake

Smaller than the snowflakes around me

A bitter chill again touched my bones

Then suddenly I am again filled with hope

As I pass between the old wrought iron gates

Into the city street beyond and home